African voices for climate change and conservation

Mua Patrick Yde Some 5 volunteers at the Center for Appropriate Technology CAT bda have received certificates of merits and recommendations as community trainers in the production of recycled items in handicrafts and appropriate technology.

During the five day training that was organized by the German society for the advancement of culture DGFK, IPC and the Royal university center, these CAT volunteers were taught how to produce bangles,chains, toy cars and to be skillful in painting.These trainers also received hands on training how to use their new skills to fight poverty and to be self reliant through the marketing of these products made from plastics and wood. At the end of each training session these trainers were offered raw materials to put their new ideas to test and to try to luck in the finding of a new life for their families.

Speaking during the certificate handing over event at the CAT head office recently the director of CAT njini victor thanked his CAT German volunteers for making the training course a reality and a gift to his community base trainers. Mr njini exalted these German expatriates for their good sense of kindness and sacrifice. "Your coming to Cameroon this time points to your love for CAT and it vokunteers" victor noted. He further called on the trainers to the good will ambassadors of the training and to do all to make good use of the new ideas in the production of recycled items, which as he put it 'a good stitch in time'.

Shortly after reviving her certificate one of the beneficiary of the training Sobe celestine thanked CAT and its foreign partners for enlisting her in the training and for building her capacity . "my life is change as I will use the skills to improve not only my life but that of my family " celestine said adding that god should bless the Germans for making her to start her own handicraft project.

One of the elderly women LuM Theresa who undertook the course and whose passion in dull making and handicrafts span many years described the training as timely for her community. "I will use these new found skills to help women an interested persons in my community to make good use of these low cost items for a good living" Theresa said. Ma Theresa thanked the Germans for always coming to the aid of CAT an for helping them to clean up waste from their environment through this recycling formula.

Reacting to all the good wishes for showered the German volunteers, the team leader Nrobert Pinsche launded CAT and its home base volunteers for taking the training seriously. Prof Norbert reminded the participants that the training was one thing and making good use of the ideas quite another. "You must use this opportunity to.better yomrself" he noted. The rest of the two volunteers Lutz fluegge and Renate perner were delighted to shake hands with the trainers and to offer them kind words of hope and success in this new project.

This years project was within the tenets of the society for the promotion of appropriate technology and housing SpaTh and the mission of the senior expert service Germany.over the last few years this project has extended CAT work to the Bafmen and ALankie villages with issues around handicraft and social development.

They are plans for a summer school to train kids and students interested in the appropriate technology in the upcoming seasons. It should be called that CAT is an energy solution organization based in bamenda metropolis whose mission is to help develop community hydro power solutions and technology.